Misty Mermaid
by Talent Scout
Summary: Misty is really a mermaid and must return to ther ocean by her 13th birthday or else she's becomes one forever. But Ash has a secret too AAML
1. How it all began

Misty Mermaid   
Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon, nor its characters. Nintendo, Gamefreak and 4kids productions do. Please note: Some of the events in this story are invented by the movie 'The Thirteenth Year'. I do not own any of those ideas either.   
  
By the way, this is set after episode 83(or something like that). You know, the one where Brock left? But this is before they meet Tracy(Kenji), so it's just Ash, Misty and Pikachu. I have one thing I wonder: How will they survive each other's arguing that long? ( I'd like to know how long Ash'll survive with Misty's mallets....) Please note that the absense of Togepi is on purpose. It's not that I don't like him, it's just that he doesn't do anything(in my opinion) worthwhile to include him in a fanfic-for now.   
  
This is not my fanfic but i don't know who the author is so plese enjoy the story... (fanfare) "Misty Mermaid"  
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**Prolouge: How it all began**   
  
Seaweed shot past below her. Fishing boats were there, just waiting for something like her. But she was lucky. If someone saw her tail, they'd just think she was a Vaporeon. An extra large Vaporeon. On second thought, maybe she wasn't so safe. Her young daughter swam alongside, orange-red hair waving in the water. Misty's mother held her hand tightly as they swam. Misty stared as the boat passed. Misty knew something was up, and changed from a fin to legs. (She ended up with clothes. She was already wearing her yellow shirt. What? Odd? I think not.) She clutched to her mother as the boats drew closer.   
  
Being seven didn't make her any less frightened. Her mother was petrified, but in her own way told her daughter to head for land, where she could pass for a human and live. Misty didn't want to go, but her mother forced her to. ((((Go! It is the only way!)))) ((((But...)))) ((((No buts. Go my daughter. Save yourself. I will be fine. Go now! You can't stay any longer! Goodbye, my love!)))) As Misty swam as fast as she could for shore, she looked back and saw her mother. her mother wouldn't make it. She didn't look back any longer. ((((Goodbye, mother. I shall see you again someday, mother.)))) She pushed forward, and reached shore.   
  
A young woman watched her daughters swim. 'They're always so wonderful at swimming...' The woman thought but then she saw something. Instead of three girls, there were four! A small girl, of about seven or eight pushed towards land, swimming better and faster than all of her daughters combined! The lady didn't have time to think about it though. The girl had made her way to shore, clearly exausted. Then she collapsed. The woman ran to the girl and helped her up. The three girls ran up. By this time Misty was standing. The lady asked Misty a question which she dreaded.   
  
"Where are your parents?"   
  
((((I don't have any.)))) Misty answered back, in her own language.   
  
"Poor thing. She must have been through a lot. She may be feverish. She can't talk clearly."   
  
((((But I am talking clearly! Oh, I get it. You can't understand mermaids.)))) Misty then spoke in the human tongue. "Is that better?" The lady was shocked, but asked the question again.   
  
"Where are your parents?" Misty looked back at the ocean. Then she said one word, and how she hated it, though she knew it was true.   
  
"Dead."   
  
"Hmm... Do you want to come and live with my family then?" Misty regretted doing it, for she wanted to go back home, but it wasn't safe for her there for now. She'd go back when she was older. Looking once back at her ocean home, she said a silent goodbye and nodded. Misty and her new family went to her new home.   
  
Far out to sea, a Mermaid with blue-green hair watched as her daughter walked away with the humans. A salty tear rolled down her cheek as she watched. ((((Goodbye, my love.)))) She called quietly, and then dove under the water again.   
  
5 YEARS LATER...  
  
Misty stirred in her sleep, remembering that day from long ago. Startled, she awoke from her dream, sweating heavily. She looked around and saw that no one was awake. ((((Mother...)))) She called quietly, in the mermaid language. She was mistaken in her thought that no one was awake. Pikachu's ears twitched as it listened."Pika..." 'S....She speaks in th mermaid tounge.... Long forgotten is the existence of mermaids. The only way she could know the language of the mermaids is if she is one, but that's an impossibility. But there are stories of certain ones who became human in time of danger...' The electric mouse thought, wondering.   
  
Misty saw Pikachu. ((((Please Pikachu, don't tell anyone.))))   
  
"Pika pikapi?" [Not even Ash?] ((((Especially not Ash.))))   
  
"Pika?" [Why?] ((((That's not to be answered right now. Pikachu, I want to go home, but yet, I want to stay.))))   
  
"Pikachu, pika pikachu pika." [I know how you feel.] (((( We'll talk more later. I'm tired.))))   
  
"Pi ka." [Me too.] Little did Misty know that the next morning would change her life....   
  
(End Prolouge)   
  
**Part one, The Race against Time.**   
  
The next morning, Misty was woken up by a megaphone shoved near her ear.   
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTY!" Misty shot strait up out of her sleeping back. Standing up, she advanced menacingly on Ash, who was holding the megaphone and grinning nervously.   
  
'DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN ASH KETCHUM!" She shouted, while whacking him repeatedly with a mallet. Pikachu watched and sweatdropped.   
  
"Pika pika pika chu." [Way to try out the new mallet Misty.] Misty grinned and tossed the mallet. Ash was just starting to get up when the mallet landed on his head and knocked him down. "Pika chu...." [Nice aim.]   
  
"Why thank you, Pikachu." Pikachu facefaulted.   
  
"Pikachu..." [You're strange sometimes.]   
  
"I'M STRANGE?!" Misy advanced on the rodent.   
  
"Pi...ka...." [Don't come any closer or I'll shock you.] Misty suddenly stopped and remembered something.   
  
"Uh...oh...." By this time, Ash had recovered.   
  
"What 'uh-oh'? Is that a new pokemon? If so I wanna capture it!" Misty turned into a big giant head. (You know. Not really, just that funny anime thing that happens when a character is really mad and when they don't burst in flames)   
  
"IT'S NOT A POKEMON ASH! IS THAT ALL YOU EVER THINK ABOUT?!"   
  
"Um...." Misty rolled her eyes and whacked him. When Ash had dropped unconscious for a few seconds Misty quickly explained to Pikachu.   
  
((((Pikachu.... today is my 13th birthday.))))   
  
"Pika?! Pi....ka...." [13th?! Oh...no...] ((((Oh no is right. I have to get to Cerulean beach by sundown or else I'll never be the same!)))) Misty then grabbed the back of the unconscious Ash's jacket collar and started dragging him East.   
  
"Pi, pika?" [Uh, Misty?]   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Pikachu pika pi pika cha." [Cerulean Beach is that way." Pikachu said, pointing North. Misty sweatdropped but turned north. The still groggy Ash was thought to be unconscious, but he wasn't. By now, he was good at faking it. He heard Misty conversing with Pikachu in her own language, which to anyone else's ears, it would sound like clicks and whistles. (You know, like a Dolphin. Don't worry. Mermaids in this speak english too!) But strangely, he understood it too. Shocked at this, Ash fainted.   
  
Misty kept dragging Ash, only must faster this time. She had to get back in her home waters again soon, or else.... She thought on the changes merpeople go trough the night of their thirteenth birthday. Unless they are in their home waters before sundown, they will get their fins back again, but won't be able to change back and forth any longer. Misty thought of something else. Today was Ash's thirteenth birthday as well...  
  
Meanwhile, behind some bushes, Team Rocket was watching Misty. They all were confused. It was plain that Misty was tallking, but to them it wasn't even a language they had heard of! It sounded kind of unhuman. But not like a pokemon. Pokemon say their names. Misty certainly wasn't doing that! Jessie watched what Misty was doing closely, then turned to James.   
  
"This is the perfect time for our plan! The main brat's unconscious, and the other's are too busy dragging him to be paying attention! We could just grab Pikachu right now!" James looked up from his meal.   
  
"Can't we at least finish eating first?" Meowth turned toward Jessie from stuffing his face too.   
  
"I'm wit James on dis one." Jessie flared up at this.   
  
"CAN'T YOU TWO THINK OF ANYTHING BESIDES EATING?!" She shouted, while whacking them. James nodded.   
  
"I can think about donuts and their many flavors!" Meowth chimed in on aggrivating Jessie, even hough he knew it would get him whacked again. He could always retaliate with his claws!   
  
"I can tink about how good fwied chicken is..." Jessie rolled her eyes and then proceeded to whack them again and again. When she turned back to where Ash-tachi had been, she was met by a suprise. They were so far ahead of them that they were just tiny specks!   
  
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She yelled, while whacking them and then dragged them off at the speed of light to catch up.   
  
In the meantime, Misty was getting more worried with every passing minute. ((((It's starting, Pikachu.))))   
  
"Pikachu!" [Oh, no!] "Pika chu?" [The thirst starting already?] It asked worriedly, for Misty was drinking unaturaly large amounts of water. In between gulps, she answered. ((((I'm afraid so. Pikachu, we haven't got much time, and I still have to worry about what Ash will think!)))) Ash, though still unconscious was having most strange dreams...  
  
In his first dream, he was somewhere underwater, probably in the ocean because there were many different kinds of ocean pokemon there. Strangely, he wasn't gasping for air. In fact, he was breathing underwater! For some reason though, he wasn't suprised or even shocked. Swimming alongside him was a strange lady. She ha long black hair and brown eyes, like him. Except she didn't have legs, she had a fin! Ash for some reason wasn't shocked though. It was almost as if this was a past memory and not a dream.   
  
He also wasn't suprised by the fact that he had a fin, too. He was swimming slightly in front of the lady, but he was turned towards her and didn't see a tentacruel in front of him. Tentacruel are rightfully named, for they ruthlessly attack anything that gets in their way, and Ash so happened to be in its way. The lady rushed forward and knocked Ash out of the way. He went spiraling through the water and hit his head. Before falling unconscious, he saw the tentacruel sting the lady. For some reason this filled him with such sadness.   
  
In a few seconds he found that he had legs. He swam for the shore not daring to look back. It was too late to do anything. Once a Tentacruel has stung you, you have almost no chance of surviving. He found himself walking. Soon he pulled himself out of the water and collapsed.   
  
Then, he opened his eyes. There was no beach, only a dusty brown path leading through woods. There was no black-haired mermaid there-for, he realized, that's what it was-only Misty. There was no angry tentacruel, only Pikachu. He blinked a few times and tried to stand up. He did, but Misty unknowingly still had him by the collar while she ran. Feeling sick, Ash did his best to run backwards.   
  
Misty's strength was failing fast. And so was the light. It was nearing sunset, and they still hadn't even seen Cerulean Beach. If she didn't hurry, stage two would start and her arm fins would start to come out. Even as she ran, two fins appeared on her arms, just above her wrists, sort of enlarging her wrists.   
  
Ash felt a pain rushing through his arms. His gloves were unusually tight. Though he was thirsty, he had kept running. Now he paused long enough(And just when Misty did too.) to take off his gloves. What he saw, for some reason, didn't suprise him-too much, that is. Small fins identacle to Misty's were on his arms. He did the only thing that's not suprising. He fainted.   
  
Misty, though in pain, kept running. Time was running out, and fast. Sunset would happen in about half an hour. She wasn't sure she would make it on time, but she sped up and tried her hardest. Pikachu, using its agility saw the fins on Ash's arms. Its eyes grew wide.   
  
"PIKA!" [MISTY!] Misty slowed down. ((((What?)))) Pikachu said nothing, but pointed to Ash. Misty looked and saw the same kind of fins she had on her arms, except these were on Ash's arms instead. She gasped, but quickly resumed her running. There would be plenty of time to gawk and ask questions later. She needed to get to Cerulean beach. More than ever, for Ash needed to get there too whether he knew it or not. But she didn't know that Team Rocket had set a trap that would slow her down....   
  
(End part one) 


	2. Mishaps and Revelations

**Part two, Mishaps and Revelations**   
  
Misty ran on, still dragging Ash, but even though she was racing as fast as she could for the beach, her mind was racing faster, among other things. Why hadn't Ash told her? And what would happen if they didn't reach the water in time? She knew the answer to the second, but she didn't want to talk about it. Pikachu kept looking back at Ash, as if he might dissapear from sight when Pikachu looked away. Misty's breath soon came in gasps. Things were happening faster than she thought they would. She paused to get a drink.   
  
This was all the time Team Rocket needed. They had been following Ash and co all day, waiting for the right moment to set their plan into action. Jessie was startled when she saw the fins that Misty and Ash both had, but knew what it meant. As a small girl she had always enjoyed tales of mermaids and mermen. She had read all the books about them that she could find. Including one that claimed to be fact.   
  
It had said that merpeople can 'walk among humans' for a while, for they can change from fin to legs. But on the day of their thirteenth birthday, they need to get in their home waters before sunset or they would never be able to go on land again. She remembered it saying that merpeople have small fins on their arms, exactly like the ones both Misty and Ash had. She had learned that on their thirteenth birthday, merpeople go through a series of fast stages.   
  
First, increasing thirst. Then, the small fins come out. Third, they would start to need water to survive for more than a half hour. Then, at the fourth stage, their legs would begin the slow change into a fin, each becoming a seperate one. Then, finally, they would gain a fin at exactly sundown. If not in their home waters before this happens, they will be permanently in their mermaid or, merman, form for all of their lives. Which, if they're too far from water, are no longer than a few hours.   
  
Jessie watched the third stage start to happen. She knew that without water Misty and Ash would not survive for more than a half hour. As cold as her heart may have seemed, she had a new compassion for these two. she wanted them to make it on time, but she couldn't let her companions know. She had to be the tough one, the rule enhancer. She was known only for fulfilling her duty at all cost. She couldn't show that she did not want this to be done. She watched, slightly sadly, as she knew that her plan would for certain, delay Misty and Ash too long. That they wouldn't make it. Jessie stared at them, a small tear almost falling from her eye.   
  
"So, what do you tink?" Jessie hastily wiped the tear from her eye, and turned towards Meowth.   
  
"What?" She asked, in an unusually soft voice.   
  
"What do you tink of my plan?" Jessie got on guard, knowing that Meowth would probably scratch her if not careful.   
  
"I wasn't listening. I've got better things to do!" Meowth was suprised. For once, Jessie hadn't said anything insulting. Well, not the way she usually did. Normally she would yell at him, call him things like 'mangy fleabag,' 'idiot'; those kind of things. But this time, it as as if she was preoccupied. Meowth considered a reply for a moment and then answered.   
  
"Oh, dat's alright." With that, he sank behind her.   
  
Meanwhile, Misty was starting to feel faint. She knew that the majority of it was from her next problem arising, but she also knew that Ash was slowing her down considerably. She jerked him to his feet. Ash blinked and then, seeing his arms with fins, he remembered the mermaid again. She had had fins on her arms too. It was then that he realized-or, he would have, if he hadn't been so dense. He also would have fainted again if not for Pikachu continuously shocking him.   
  
"You'll explain later." Misty hissed. Ash looked blank. Pikachu forced him to run by shocking him every time he fell behind. For Pikachu was sure that Ash had no clue to what he as, or at least for why he had to hurry. But they couldn't continue, for a hole fell open underneath them, and suprisingly, it wasn't dirt as they expected. Jessie had secretly lined it with marble and, dn't ask me why, dropped air cushins in too.She did this to foil their own plan, as she didn't want them to be slowed down, but what choice did she have? She left it up to them to escape. Sadly, though, they couldn't get out.   
  
"Ow...." (Honestly, I don't know where that boy gets it. He didn't hurt himself. He landed on air cushins! ::::rolls eyes:::: That boy can be sooooo dense.)   
  
"Pika pika, pikachu pika chu?" [How do we get out of here?] Misty was suprising. She repeated almost the same thing Pikachu said!   
  
"That was... unexpected, but how do we get out of here?"   
  
"Unfortunatly for you, you won't be getting out of there anytime soon, except for Pikachu that is." Ash, Misty and Pikachu looked up and there was Team Rocket. After saying their 'traditional' motto, James got out a new contraption. (Or maybe it's not as new. They have so many gadgets it's hard to tell.) It was a long metal claw that reached down and grabbed Pikachu.   
  
"Now, youse guys!" Meowth shouted and Jessie and James spontaneously heaved what looked like a giant aquarium with no bottom, and lifted it over the hole. It started filling up with water. Jessie had insisted on this. Though Ash and Misty didn't know this, of course. James and Meowth started to walk away. Jessie hung around for a few minutes. James turned toward her, slightly worried. She'd been acting strangely all day.   
  
"You coming Jess?" Ash and Misty looked at each other. They knew something was up between the two human members of Team Rocket. What they didn't know however, was that they themselves had something up between them. Jessie turned towards James.   
  
"In a few minutes."   
  
"Oh, okay. Should I wait?"   
  
"No, you go on ahead. I'll catch up."   
  
"Okay..."   
  
"Go on. I'll be fine. Think about it. I've survived more in my life than this."   
  
"Oh, all right..."   
  
"Go on." James walked off. After making sure James was totally out of sight, she lifted out the hose that was inserting water and dropped a bottle down inside. Ash being Ash, got hit in the head with the bottle. Misty at first wondered why she woud drop a bottle in there, but then she saw that there was actually a note in it! Jessie smiled slightly and walked away. Misty notice she had left the hose out of it, and had left some room in the main tank for air. Misty was suprised, but she had other things to tend to at the moment. Paticulurly Ash. He had been knocked unconscious. Misty was worried. If he didn't wake up soon, the fourth stage would begin.   
  
Meanwhile, while unconscious, Ash was having worries of his own, a completely different kind. He was dreaming again. Once more of the black haired mermaid, but a different one too. This time, Ash was swimming once more, but towards another per- er, mermaid. Another lady mermaid was swimming towards them, and there was also a young girlish mermaid. Ash seemed to be only watching, while the Ash in his dream did everything else. But Ash soon realized, he also felt what this Ash felt.   
  
The two adult mermaids talked together, having a conversation. The one talking the most had blue-green hair and sapphire colored eyes. The younger mermaid had orangish red hair and green-blue eyes. For some reason, he felt... attracted to this young mermaid. Maybe it was because she reminded him of Misty. But a part of him knew that it was actually this other Ash that he seemed to be at the same time felt that way.   
  
((((Hi, I am Misty.)))) The girl mermaid said shyly. She couldn't have been more than six or seven. ((((H....h....hi.)))) (Author's note: Seems kinda odd to be able to stutter, considering that merperson language(In this, of course) consists more of clicks and whistles, don't you think?) Ash felt himself blush at the same moment Mi- wait a second, wait a second! Ash was startled by this. This mermaid had the same name as Misty. He then realized something else. This was Misty. The Misty he knew.   
  
Ash figured it out, at last. This wasn't a dream; this was a forgotten memory! That konk on the head when the Tentacruel attacked must have caused him to lose his memory. As if in a flash, he regained his memory. All of it. He also kept the memories of the time when he didn't know what he truely was. He remembered all that was going on right as he was remembering it, and he knew for certain that this little mermaid was Misty. The Misty he knew. The Misty he-er, was friends with. Very good friends. Aw, good grief. The Misty he l...l...l...l...loved.   
  
He blinked his eyes, and woke up. Coming to full comsciousness in a matter of minutes, he was a little suprised to see that Team Rocket had left a way to escape. The area where the hose had been was big enough for a person to fit through.(Did I mention that when Ash lost his memory, he became(slightly) more stupid, and when he regained it, he regained his intelligance too?) He explained this to Misty who seems slightly shocked.   
  
Smiling from behind a tree a short distance away, Jessie watched as the two escaped. Then she followed them. Checking her watch, she grew worried. Those two had less than half an hour until sunset! She went and got the Rocket Jeep, and drove slowly towards them. Ash was slightly nervous, but Misty showed him the note. Afterwards they jumped in, and Jessie sped off. The jeep swerved around trees, turned corners sharply, and did all kinds of weird things.   
  
"DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE THIS THING?!" Misty had to shout because the wind drowned out her voice.   
  
"NO!" Jessie shouted, laughing as she swerved around another tree. Soon they reached a bit more of a better(and slightly safer-maybe) driving place. They were at a meadow. as Jessie drove, the next stage started. Ash's and Misty's legs became seperate fins. Misty checked her watch(where'd she get that?) And saw that they had less than ten minutes. Jessie also noticed this, and sped up.   
  
After five minutes, the beach was still not in sight. Jessie sped up again. Then, with just a few seconds to go, they came out on the beach. Ash and Misty spontaneously jumped out of the still-moving jeep into the water. Misty, however, wasn't looking. A Tentacruel was there, and reached out to sting her. Ash was parylized with fear, remembering what had happened to his mother years ago. Misty looked up and saw it, about to sting her. She too, was parylized with fear.   
  
Suddenly, something knocked her out of the way, but got stung itself. Misty's eyes, as well as Ash's, widened in suprise. Jessie weakly tried to swim to the surface, but she couldn't make it. Misty and Ash looked at each other, and in unspoken agreement, dove down towards Jessie. Each grabbing one arm, they swam towards the surface, Jessie in tow. Jessie was only semi-conscious, and didn't know that they were there. She still tried to swim up.   
  
Quickly, they reached the shore and laid Jessie down on it. James, who had heard the jeep driving ran up at that moment with Meowth in tow, as well as Pikachu in a cage. At the sight of Jessie, he dropped them both. Pikachu burst out of the cage strait to Ash. James ran over to Jessie and knelt down beside her. He looked towards them, pure anguish and worry in his eyes.   
  
"W...What happened to her...?" He asked, quietly.   
  
"I'm afraid a Tentacruel stung her just a few minutes ago." Misty answered, quietly. James' face paled. Everyone knew the deadly power of a Tentacruel's sting. He quickly called an ambulance. A few minutes passed. Jessie was getting worse, and fast. With the ambulance no where to be found, Jessie's fate looked grim...  
  
(End part two) 


	3. The Outcome

**Part Three: The Outcome.**   
  
Ash and Misty watched from the water. They were secretly planning a race. They needed to stretch! But they weren't going to leave right now, not until Jessie was safe. James looked forlornly at Jessie. Her breathing was getting weaker, her face paler. Using all her strength, she opened her eyes slightly. She weakly looked up at James.   
  
"J...James?" She asked quietly.   
  
"It's all right, I'm here." Ash and Misty looked at each other and nodded. No matter what condition Jessie was in, she and James needed time alone. They dove under the water and started to swim off.   
  
"Mermaids..." Jessie whispered quietly. James looked around, but all he saw were Ash and Misty.   
  
"No, there are no mermaids, Jessie. It's just Ash and Misty." He said, thinking Jessie delirious. Misty decided to play a joke.   
  
"You hoo! Lovebirds, over here!" She yelled, waving her fin. Ash was shocked.   
  
"Hey, Misty, what're-" A glare from Misty cut him off. Catching on, he started doing the same thing. Jessie and James blushed. Well, for Jessie it was more like a small regain of the color she was losing. James was suprised. And so was Misty, when a third mermaid joined them. It was her mother. ((((M...Mother...)))) She gasped out. ((((Yes, my child, it is I. It has been so long since I last saw you. But this reunion can wait, my daughter. I have... something else to attend to at the moment.))))   
  
So saying, Misty's mother swam toward the shore. James went and stood protectively in front of Jessie, for the mermaid was swimming straght towards them. Trying to be brave, he addressed Misty's mother in a firm, commanding voice.   
  
"S.....S.....Stay a...away... f...from her! I...I....I won't let you hurt Jessie! A....A...And if you try to, I...I....I'll h...h...have t...to s...st...stop y...you." Er, maybe NOT so firm and commanding. From the water, Misty's mother laughed to herself. She spoke in a soft, quiet voice.   
  
"Relax, young human. I only want to help, not hurt. I alone can save your love." James blushed at this, but cleared room for the mermaid. Something about her was so easy to trust. He knew that she was telling the truth. How he knew, he did not know.   
  
Misty knew what her mother was going to do, and raced forward.   
  
"Mother, you can't!" Misty's mother smiled softly.   
  
"Yes, my daughter, I can and I will."   
  
"But... Why?"   
  
"Surely you must understand. You know that the only way to save someone who has been stung by a Tentacruel is for a mermaid to give her life."   
  
"I can mother! Just please, don't!" A tear escaped from Misty's eye as she said this. Her mother clasped Misty's hands in hers, and smiled sadly.   
  
"You have your whole life ahead of you. You need to live it out. You need to live. I, Misty, dear, have seen many years. When your father died, I was torn apart. I still had you, but when you had to leave me, my heart was literally shattered, but I still hung on, for hope that I would see you again someday. Darling, I have seen you with Ash. You love him, and I know it would break both of your hearts for you to leave him. No, my daughter, I am the only one who can do this." Misty smiled too, but only a pained one.   
  
"I know. It's just that I'll miss you so..." And with that, she hugged her mother a last goodbye.   
  
"I know, my dear, but that can not be helped. I hate to tell you this, my daughter, but if I do not do this now, this young lady shall lose her life." Misty knew it was true. Jessie was near death. She slowly swam back to Ash.   
  
Misty's mother turned towards Jessie, ad concentrated. Slowly, she shimmered and dissapeared.   
  
"MOTHER!" Misty screamed, then collapsed in tears. Ash did his best to comfort her. Slowly, Jessie sat up, and her color returned to normal. James helped her up. His green eyes filled with tears of joy.   
  
"I... I thought I'd lose you." Jessie grinned.   
  
"You can't get rid of me that easily!"   
  
"I don't want to." Jessie smiled, and then quietly, whispered the three magic words. James stared, then hugged her. The two walked off, totally ignoring the fact that Meowth was napping in the sun. (He missed the whole thing! Talk about a heavy sleeper!)   
  
Misty wiped a tear from her eye. She looked at Ash, who was smiling sadly, gently hugging her. Misty blushed as she realized this. She smiled then. Ash then realized what he was doing. Blushing, he pulled away.   
  
"S...sorry Misty."   
  
((((Sorry for what?)))) Misty asked quietly, in her own language, knowing that he could understand.   
  
((((You know what.)))) ((((Really? I don't see what was so wrong?)))) Ash smiled, finally figuring it out. ((((Misty, I....I...)))) Ash stuttered, not knowing how to say it. Misty smiled. ((((I know.)))) Ash suddenly grinned, racing away, he swam for shore very quickly. At the last minute, he turned tail and dove underwater, splashing Meowth awake.   
  
"Hey, Wha?" Ash laughed and swam towards Misty. Meowth looked disgustedly at the tail that swiftly glided away. "Merpeople. Dey neva leave me alone." Shaking his head, he walked off muttering about how he hated water and how merpeople were always so cruel to him. Misty shook her head and laughed. ((((You shouldn't be so mean to him, Ash. But, I have to admit; it was kind of funny!)))) Instead of laughing, she started crying.   
  
Ash rushed (swam?) over as fast as possible. ((((Are you okay?)))) ((((Yeah. It's just... I was torn apart from my mother twice! I just miss her so....)))) ((((I... know how you feel. I've been through it too.)))) Misty looked shocked. ((((W....What do you mean?)))) Ash poured out his story. (Too long to list here.) Misty gasped.   
  
"I... I'm sorry Ash. I didn't know."   
  
"There's something I don't know either."   
  
"What's that?"   
  
"Did we make it in time?"   
  
" I don't know, but does it really matter?"   
  
"No. But I still really wanna know!"   
  
"Some things never change..."   
  
"What do you mean by tha-" Ash was cut off by Misty.   
  
"If you want to know, you know what to do!" So saying, Misty concentrated and slowly, her fin turned to legs. Ash did the same, with the same result. Laughing, they swam towards shore. No matter what would happen to them in the future, they knew they would come out all right. They had each other.   
  
As Misty and Ash started walking down the path once more, only holding hands, Misty thought that she saw her mother smiling. She swore she heard her mother say, 'Goodbye, my darling', but after a few minutes, there was nothing to be seen and heard of her mother. Misty smiled to herself, knowing that her mother was smiling too. 


End file.
